CLAUSA restricts tomato leaf morphogenesis and GOBLET expression.

Leaf morphogenesis and differentiation are highly flexible processes. The development of compound leaves is characterized by an extended morphogenesis stage compared with that of simple leaves. The tomato mutant clausa (clau) possesses extremely elaborate compound leaves. Here we show that this elaboration is generated by further extension of the morphogenetic window, partly via the activity of ectopic meristems present on clau leaves. Further, we propose that CLAU might negatively affect expression of the NAM/CUC gene GOBLET (GOB), an important modulator of compound-leaf development, as GOB expression is elevated in clau mutants and reducing GOB expression suppresses the clau phenotype. Expression of GOB is also elevated in the compound leaf mutant lyrate (lyr), and the remarkable enhancement of the clau phenotype by lyr suggests that clau and lyr affect leaf development and GOB in different pathways.

Developing Polycation-Clay Sorbents for Efficient Filtration of Diclofenac: Effect of Dissolved Organic Matter and Comparison to Activated Carbon.

The presence of nanoconcentrations of persistent pharmaceuticals in treated wastewater effluent and in surface water has been frequently reported. A novel organic-inorganic hybrid sorbent based on adsorbing quarternized poly vinylpyridinium-co-styrene (QPVPcS) to montmorillonite (MMT) was designed for the removal of the anionic micropollutants. QPVPcS-clay composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, FTIR, thermal gravimetric analysis, Zeta potential and element analysis. Based on these measurements polymer-clay micro- and nanostructures, as a function of polymer loading, were suggested. The affinity of the anionic pharmaceutical, diclofenac (DCF), to the composite was high and did not decrease dramatically with an increase of ionic strength, indicating that the interactions are not only electrostatic. The presence of humic acid (HA) did not hinder DCF removal by the composite; whereas, its filtration by granulated activated carbon (GAC) was compromised in the presence of HA. The kinetics and adsorption at equilibrium of DCF to the composite and to GAC were measured and modeled by the time dependent Langmuir equation. The adsorption of DCF to the composite was significantly faster than to GAC. Accordingly, the filtration of micro- and nanoconcentrations of DCF by composite columns, in the presence of HA, was more efficient than by GAC columns.

Towards realizing nano-enabled precision delivery in plants.

Nanocarriers (NCs) that can precisely deliver active agents, nutrients and genetic materials into plants will make crop agriculture more resilient to climate change and sustainable. As a research field, nano-agriculture is still developing, with significant scientific and societal barriers to overcome. In this Review, we argue that lessons can be learned from mammalian nanomedicine. In particular, it may be possible to enhance efficiency and efficacy by improving our understanding of how NC properties affect their interactions with plant surfaces and biomolecules, and their ability to carry and deliver cargo to specific locations. New tools are required to rapidly assess NC-plant interactions and to explore and verify the range of viable targeting approaches in plants. Elucidating these interactions can lead to the creation of computer-generated in silico models (digital twins) to predict the impact of different NC and plant properties, biological responses, and environmental conditions on the efficiency and efficacy of nanotechnology approaches. Finally, we highlight the need for nano-agriculture researchers and social scientists to converge in order to develop sustainable, safe and socially acceptable NCs.

Flash NanoPrecipitation as an Agrochemical Nanocarrier Formulation Platform: Phloem Uptake and Translocation after Foliar Administration.

The increasing severity of pathogenic and environmental stressors that negatively affect plant health has led to interest in developing next-generation agrochemical delivery systems capable of precisely transporting active agents to specific sites within plants. In this work, we adapt Flash NanoPrecipitation (FNP), a scalable nanocarrier (NC) formulation technology used in the pharmaceutical industry, to prepare organic core-shell NCs and study their efficacy as foliar or root delivery vehicles. NCs ranging in diameter from 55 to 200 nm, with surface zeta potentials from -40 to +40 mV, and with seven different shell material properties were prepared and studied. Shell materials included synthetic polymers poly(acrylic acid), poly(ethylene glycol), and poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate), naturally occurring compounds fish gelatin and soybean lecithin, and semisynthetic hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate (HPMCAS). NC cores contained a gadolinium tracer for tracking by mass spectrometry, a fluorescent dye for tracking by confocal microscopy, and model hydrophobic compounds (alpha tocopherol acetate and polystyrene) that could be replaced by agrochemical payloads in subsequent applications. After foliar application onto tomato plants with Silwet L-77 surfactant, internalization efficiencies of up to 85% and NC translocation efficiencies of up to 32% were observed. Significant NC trafficking to the stem and roots suggests a high degree of phloem loading for some of these formulations. Results were corroborated by confocal microscopy and synchrotron X-ray fluorescence mapping. NCs stabilized by cellulosic HPMCAS exhibited the highest degree of translocation, followed by formulations with a significant surface charge. The results from this work indicate that biocompatible materials like HPMCAS are promising agrochemical delivery vehicles in an industrially viable pharmaceutical nanoformulation process (FNP) and shed light on the optimal properties of organic NCs for efficient foliar uptake, translocation, and delivery.

Effect of polycation charge density on polymer conformation at the clay surface and consequently on pharmaceutical binding.

Polycation conformation upon adsorption to a negatively charged surface can be modulated by its charge density. At high charge density monomers directly interact with the surface in a 'trains' conformation and as charge density decreases a high degree of monomers dangle into solution in a 'loops and tails' conformation. In this study, the conformations of polycations upon adsorption to montmorillonite, as a function of polycation charge (20, 50 and 100% of the monomers, denoted as P-Q20, P-Q50 and P-Q100) were characterized and in accordance with their conformation, the adsorption of non-ionic and anionic molecules by the composite was tested. As expected, the adsorption of the nonionic pharmaceuticals increased to a composite with a 'loops and tails' conformation, due to both conformation and chemical properties. On the other hand, the anionic molecules, gemfibrozil and diclofenac, preferably adsorbed to composites with higher charge density (Q50 or Q100 composites). However, they showed different tendency toward the composites, i.e. higher adsorption of diclofenac by Q100 composite vs. higher adsorption of gemfibrozil by Q50 composite. To elucidate the differences in adsorption between these two pharmaceuticals, density functional theory calculations were employed. Both gemfibrozil and diclofenac were found to be better stabilized by methyl pyridinium sites (prevail in Q100 composite). The preferable adsorption of gemfibrozil by Q50 composite was explained by the presence of 'loops and tails' conformation enabling additional adsorption sites and diverse monomer-target molecule orientations.

PEG-PE/clay composite carriers for doxorubicin: Effect of composite structure on release, cell interaction and cytotoxicity.

A novel drug delivery system for doxorubicin (DOX), based on organic-inorganic composites was developed. DOX was incorporated in micelles (M-DOX) of polyethylene glycol-phosphatidylethanolamine (PEG-PE) which in turn were adsorbed by the clay, montmorillonite (MMT). The nano-structures of the PEG-PE/MMT composites of LOW and HIGH polymer loadings were characterized by XRD, TGA, FTIR, size (DLS) and zeta measurements. These measurements suggest that for the LOW composite a single layer of polymer intercalates in the clay platelets and the polymer only partially covers the external surface, while for the HIGH composite two layers of polymer intercalate and a bilayer may form on the external surface. These nanostructures have a direct effect on formulation stability and on the rate of DOX release. The release rate was reversely correlated with the degree of DOX interaction with the clay and followed the sequence: M-DOX>HIGH formulation>LOW formulation>DOX/MMT. Despite the slower release from the HIGH formulation, its cytotoxicity effect on sensitive cells was as high as the "free" DOX. Surprisingly, the LOW formulation, with the slowest release, demonstrated the highest cytotoxicity in the case of Adriamycin (ADR) resistant cells. Confocal microscopy images and association tests provided an insight into the contribution of formulation-cell interactions vs. the contribution of DOX release rate. Internalization of the formulations was suggested as a mechanism that increases DOX efficiency, particularly in the ADR resistant cell line. The employment of organic-inorganic hybrid materials as drug delivery systems, has not reached its full potential, however, its functionality as an efficient tunable release system was demonstrated. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: DOX PEG-PE/clay formulations were design as an efficient drug delivery system. The main aim was to develop PEG-PE/clay formulations of different structures based on various PEG-PE/clay ratios in order to achieve tunable release rates, to control the external surface characteristics and formulation stability. The formulations showed significantly higher toxicity in comparison to "free" DOX, explained by formulation internalization. For each cell line tested, sensitive and ADR resistant, a different formulation structure was found most efficient. The potential of PEG-PE/clay-DOX formulations to improve DOX administration efficacy was demonstrated and should be further explored and implemented for other cancer drugs and cells.